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Sustainable Agriculture Network to Expand Certification System

pilot program of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) and the International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS)

The Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) and the International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS) have launched a pilot program that is expected to deliver even greater confidence and trust in the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ frog seal which already appears widely on agricultural products from around the world.

The seal is used on products from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms that adhere to the SAN´s rigorous standards for protecting wildlife, wild lands, workers rights and local communities. The seal connects conscientious consumers and responsible producers supporting environmental conservation and fair working practices.

To date the certification of farms has been conducted by a certification body with the support of inspection bodies approved directly by SAN. To make the system more inclusive and transparent, the IOAS will develop an accreditation system that includes internationally recognised procedures for the approval of the certification bodies working primarily in Latin America and Africa. This will be a unique system to empower independent certification bodies to implement the SAN standard. The SAN standard is unusually comprehensive in that it integrates the economic viability of farms with environmental conservation and robust social and labor requirements.

SAN board president, Romeo Dominguez, communicated the importance of the accreditation system for the SAN. “As a founding member of the Sustainable Agriculture Network, I am eager to see its continued evolution and strengthening through the development of an innovative accreditation system. We welcome collaboration with organizations that share the SAN´s vision for sustainability to support farmers, farm workers, ecosystems and wildlife.”

IOAS Executive Director Ken Commins highlighted the enthusiasm with which the IOAS is approaching this project. ‘The business of the IOAS is about cultivating integrity and trust in products that are responsibly produced, and this initiative with SAN fits very neatly into that approach. We hope that our expertise from our wellrespected work in the organic sector and, of course, our rigorously-guarded independence will bring even greater benefits to producers, their customers and the world at large.’

Certification and inspection bodies already working with the SAN will be invited to apply for IOAS accreditation during 2010, and they will be subject to the normal assessment procedures of the IOAS. Once the program is fully tested, a decision will be taken as to whether the accreditation will be opened to other certification bodies around the world.

For further information please contact:

Ana Garzon

Operations and Outreach Coordinator, SAN

agarzon@ra.org

and

David Crucefix

Assistant Executive Director, IOAS

crucefix@ioas.org